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NPAPH has asked me to pass along the following worthy request to our readers. Please contact them at the address below if you can provide them with any help.

The Non-Professional Archaeological Photographs project (NPAPH; www.npaph.com) has the aim to preserve non-professional documentation of past archaeological campaigns to the future and make it accessible to the public via digital archives.
NPAPH Project

The term ‘non-professional’ refers to records made by visitors or participants of excavations who were not part of the trained staff, but who assisted as part of their continuing education or out of interest, for instance students, volunteers, reporters or sponsors.

Secondly, this category of documentation includes also the private photos, slides, films, letters, diaries, etc., made at the excavation by the archaeological staff. So non-professional records are usually not stored in official archives.

At the moment we are tracing documentation of the excavations of the following Syrian sites:

  • Mari/ Tell Hariri (1933-1939, 1951-1956, and 1960–1974)
  • Dura Europos (1928–1937)
  • Apamea (1930-1938, 1947-1953, and 1965)

If you know anyone who joined one of these archaeological expeditions or if you have worked on one of them yourself, please contact [email protected]. We are also interested in any other record prior the 1980s related to these sites.

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This afternoon I taught Psalm 23 in my Psalms class and when I returned to my office, I saw that Brad Gray (Walking the Text) has started a new video series today on Psalm 23, using illustrations, contextual resources, and a drone video.

The first episode focuses on the verse one and is entitled “My Savvy Shepherd.” Brad does a terrific job of shedding light on this familiar passage using the six contextual lenses that he is known for.

Some of the photos that he is using in this series come from our new Psalm 23 volume in our Photo Companion to the Bible series. Brad also lists some other valuable resources for the study of this Psalm. You can subscribe to the weekly video series with iTunes and Google Play.

Walking the Text
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A sandstone statue of a sphinx was discovered in excavations at the Kom Ombo temple.

A large and outstanding Assyrian relief from the reign of Ashurnasirpal II is being auctioned in October by Christie’s on behalf of Virginia Theological Seminary.

Egypt is celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the project to save 20 gigantic monuments in the Abu Simbel complex from flooding by moving them to higher ground.

Is it safe to travel to Egypt now? Temma Ecker explains why now is the perfect time to experience Egypt.

The 21st Annual Bible and Archaeology Fest is being held in Denver on November 16 to 18.

Rémy Boucharlat will be lecturing on Pasargadae at the Asia House in London on October 3.

Eisenbrauns is having a 40%-off sale on many ANE works.

AASOR is looking for an editor. NEA is looking for an editor. BASOR is looking for a copyeditor.

Ehsan Yarshater, editor of the Encyclopedia Iranica, died earlier this month.

HT: Agade, Ted Weis

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After finding a bare shrine at Abel Beth Maacah, archaeologists are suggesting that the “wise woman” of 2 Samuel 20 was a “local version of the divine oracles known from other cultures around the Mediterrranean.” (Haaretz premium)

Jonathan Klawans explains why the Tower of David Museum is the best place to begin a tour of Jerusalem.

Carl Rasmussen takes readers on a tour of less-visited sites in Roman-era Jericho, including the stadium and a balsam plantation.

Israel’s Good Name found some wildlife in his nighttime excursion through the Holon Dunes.

Shmuel Browns shares some of the latest discoveries in excavations at Masada and Herodium.

John M. Vonder Bruegge writes about “Josephus’ Galilee and Spatial Theory” at The Bible and Interpretation.

Wayne Stiles describes the history of sacrifice in Jerusalem.

The Israel Antiquities Authority Library Catalog is now online.

Dan Koski looks at the legacy of the stonemasons of Beit Jala.

Leon Mauldin explains the importance of the Theodotos Inscription.

HT: Agade, Ted Weis, Charles Savelle, Joseph Lauer

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Archaeologists believe they have found ruins of the church building where the First Council of Nicaea was held.

“Turkish archeologists have found an eye cream jar in a 2,200-year-old tomb during their excavation works in an antique city of Aizanoi in country’s west.”

A cache of gold coins dating to the 5th century has been found in an old theater in northern Italy.

A full-scale replica of a Roman triumphal arch from Palmyra will be on display in Washington DC later this month.

Museums are full of fake cuneiform tablets, and Sara Brumfield suggests a few ways to identify them.

An ancient Torah scroll in Brazil’s National Museum was spared from the fire because it was being restored off-site.

The August 2018 issue of the Newsletter of the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities includes information about recent discoveries, meetings, exhibitions, and fee increases.

John DeLancey is posting daily summaries of his tour of Greece.

HT: Ted Weis, Agade, Steven Anderson, Gordon Franz

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Stanford University researchers believe they’ve found evidence of the world’s oldest brewery in the Raqefet Cave, near Haifa.

Miriam Feinberg Vamosh writes about an ancient convent discovered at a possible site of Hannah’s tomb (Haaretz premium).


Haaretz (premium) has an article on the history of the pomegranate.

Aren Maeir will be teaching a MOOC entitled “Biblical Archaeology: The Archaeology of Ancient Israel and Judah” and a trailer is now out.

There is a conference today on Ctesiphon, and Ferrell Jenkins shares a photo from his visit to this city in Iraq.

Luke Chandler explains why there is an island in the Sea of Galilee now.

Leon Mauldin has written an illustrated post about the revolt of Libnah and Edom.

The Institute of Biblical Culture is offering new courses in October, including the Samaritan Pentateuch and Ancient Near Eastern Texts.

New from Oxford University Press: The Oxford Illustrated History of the Holy Land, edited by H. G. M. Williamson and Robert G. Hoyland.

HT: Ted Weis, Agade, Steven Anderson, Gordon Franz

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